Chris Kluwe

Michael Sam, the SEC’s co-defensive player of the year, is about to find out if America’s most popular sport, rooted in machismo and entrenched in locker room hijinks, is ready for its first openly gay player.

“Because he brings this other stuff with him, just like I bring my other stuff with me, teams look at it like, ‘We don’t want it. We don’t want players speaking out. We don’t want players doing anything other than football.'”

In an article posted Thursday on the website Deadspin, Chris Kluwe wrote that special teams coach Mike Priefer made several anti-gay comments in objection to Kluwe’s outspoken opposition of an anti-gay marriage amendment in Minnesota.

His new book, “Beautifully Unique Sparkleponies: On Myths, Morons, Free Speech, Football, and Assorted Absurdities,” hits stores on Tuesday. The punter is doing a reading and signing at Barnes & Noble on the Upper East Side.

“It’s pretty simple for me — I believe all people are created equal, regardless of their sexuality,” Steve Gleason said. “To promote respect and acceptance is an important role for NFL players and the NFLPA.”

“My whole thing in this is just to help anybody who is struggling with coming out,” Gendreau told the New York Times. “I want people to know that I didn’t have a problem with it, and they shouldn’t either.”